A new chapter in Bangladesh’s political history began on February 17 as Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was sworn in as prime minister for the first time, forming a 49-member cabinet following his party’s decisive victory in the 3th Jatiya Sangsad elections.

The oath-taking ceremony, administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, took place at 4:14pm at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

The ceremony opened with a recitation from the Quran, after which Tarique Rahman pledged to uphold the constitution and safeguard the sovereignty of Bangladesh.

Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani oversaw the proceedings in the presence of Chief Adviser of the outgoing interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Also attending were Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, members of the advisory council, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasiruddin, Supreme Court judges, newly elected Members of Parliament, political leaders, chiefs of the three armed services, members of the diplomatic corps, media personnel, and civil society representatives.

Tarique Rahman’s wife, Zubaida Rahman, daughter Zaima Rahman, and other family members were also present.

Earlier on the morning, the newly elected lawmakers of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad took their oaths as Members of Parliament, administered by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the Oath Room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

Following this, Tarique Rahman, the elder son of the late President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, was elected leader of the house by the BNP Parliamentary Party.

In its first meeting, the BNP Parliamentary Party resolved that none of its MPs would accept duty-free vehicles or government-allotted residential plots, signalling a commitment to political restraint.

The 13th parliamentary elections, held alongside a nationwide referendum on constitutional reforms on 12 February, delivered a landslide victory for the BNP, which claimed 209 of the 297 declared seats.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, once a BNP ally, secured 68 seats and is set to lead the opposition in parliament.

The previous three elections, held in 2014, 2018, and 2024, were widely criticised for boycotts, alleged irregularities, and accusations of vote manipulation.

These contests culminated in the removal of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024 following a student-led uprising, creating a pathway for the BNP’s return to power 20 years after the end of the Khaleda Zia-led four-party alliance government in 2006.

Tarique Rahman, who had spent over 17 years in forced exile since 2008 amid multiple sentences, including life imprisonment, returned to Bangladesh on 25 December 2025 to a celebratory reception.

At 57, he now assumes office as prime minister, marking a historic political comeback for the BNP.